SMU OT PJ Williams returns for 2026 after earning All-ACC honors, giving the Mustangs elite pass protection in the NIL and transfer portal era.
In modern college football, championships aren’t built only on splashy transfer portal additions. They’re built on who stays.
In an era shaped by NIL deals, revenue sharing and nonstop roster movement, keeping veteran stars off NFL draft boards and out of the transfer portal has become one of the most valuable skills in the sport.
Just look at the recent College Football Playoff champions. Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan all convinced core leaders to return for one more run - and ended up hoisting trophies because of it.
For SMU, per ESPN, the headline retention win for the 2026 season is offensive tackle PJ Williams.
Williams, a former top-50 recruit who began his career at Texas A&M, has grown into one of the most reliable linemen in the ACC.
Now a 29-game starter and team captain, he chose to bypass the NFL draft and return for a fifth season on the Hilltop - a move that could define the Mustangs’ ceiling this fall.
The numbers tell the story. Williams earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2025 after posting the fourth-best pressure rate allowed among ACC right tackles at just 2.6 percent. Over the course of the season, he surrendered only three sacks.
Against Miami’s loaded defensive front - one of the most NFL-ready units in the country - he allowed just two total pressures.
That’s not just solid. That’s elite pass protection. For an SMU team coming off a 9-4 season (6-2 in ACC play) and ranked No. 17 in early Top 25 projections, stability along the offensive line matters.
Quarterbacks develop faster. Run games operate cleaner. Play-callers get aggressive when they trust the edges.
Williams’ decision to return isn’t just about loyalty - it’s strategic. Another year anchoring the Mustangs’ offensive line gives him a chance to elevate from Day 2 draft talk into potential early-round consideration.
In today’s evaluation process, sustained production against top-tier competition carries serious weight.
More importantly for SMU football, it sends a message.
In a landscape where more than 3,200 FBS scholarship players entered the transfer portal this cycle, the Mustangs didn’t just survive roster chaos - they won a critical battle by keeping one of their most important pieces.
Portal additions might generate clicks, but PJ Williams returning could be the move that keeps SMU in the ACC title conversation.
In 2026, retention might be the ultimate flex.